Helmet or head guard



Oct. 12 1926.

A. J. TURNER HELMET 0R HEAD GUARD Original Filed May 29, 1924 tained by any other known material, will Patented Oct-12 1926.

UNITED STATES p Y 1,602,727 PATENT OFFICE.

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' POBA'IION OI DELAWARE.

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Original application fled m as, 1024,

The invention relates to helmets or head guards for use b athletes and others, and particularly football players for the protection of the head and parts thereof.

This case is a division of my cofiending case Serial Number 716,775 filed ay 29, 1924, for improvements in helmets or head guards.

The invention has as its prime obi'ect the utilization of a cushioning materia, which is resilient to a great degree, and will, therefore, adequately cushion blows and impacts applied to the head, add to the comfort of the wearer and is impervious to moisture occasioned by perspiration from the head of the wearer, and consequently will not become matted and lose its resiliency.

It is a further feature of the invention to employ a material which has the above qual provided with ventilating openings and other features.

It is therefore an object of the invention to employ in the head guard, a cushion formed of what is generally known as sponge rubber, which, as is well known, contains innumerable minute individual air cells, and is very resilient, impervious to moisture, will not become matted, hardened, or lose its resiliency, as is the case with felt, and therefore will, at all times, be comfortable to the wearer while being worn, will provide a cushion having extremely great cushioning qualities, which cannot be obconform itself to the outlines of the head yet will not, due to irregularities in the sha of the head, exert pressure to annoy or d1s-' tress the wearer.

The invention has the above and other objects, all of which will be explained and more thoroughly understood when read in con- .junction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment to which the invention is susceptible, it being further obvious that other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the appended claims forming a part hereof.

In the drawings:

Figure-1 is a longitudinal central section of a head guard embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view looking toward the inside of the head guard shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the structure illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

The head guard with which the cushion, which forms the basis of this invention, is assoc ated, is constructed with the relatively stiff leather crown 10, which fits over the top of the'head of the wearer and extends approximatelyto the temples. Reinforcing strips or straps l1 and 12, preferably of leather, are arranged transversely with relat1on to each other on the exterior of the crown 10 and extend downwardly a short d stance beyond the edge of the leather crown 10.. These strips or straps are sewed or otherwise secured to the crown 10 of the head guard. Beneath the reinforcing strips 11 and 12 a fibre strip 13 is located. This fibre strip extends from the front to the rear of the crown 10. A suitably shaped piece of material 14, such as fibre, which acts as a stiffener for the head guard, is interposed below the crown 10 and between it and a crown shaped iece of felt 15 or other suitable material. he various parts may be secured together in any suitable manner.

The sponge rubber cushion 16 forming the a basis of this invention, is located on the interior of the crown of the head 'uard, and other portions of the head guar structure, so that it may engage the head of the wearer. The sponge rubber cushion 16, being located next tothe head of the wearer, will eifectively protect the head of the wearer or player against blows or impacts received from opposing players, or otherwise.

The sponge rubber blank from which the cushion or lining 16. is formed is clearly shown in Figure 3. It consists of a plurality of separated radially extending arms 17, 17, which are connected together at their inner ends to provide a unltary structure. The arms 17 17, which radiate from the central portion, terminate at their outer ends in the enlargements 18, 18. The radiating jacent enlar ements of the arms. When the side faces of the enlargements of the radiating arms have been brought into juxtaposition, a c'ontinuous band of sponge rubber is formed. When the cushion is arranged in the manner described and the opposite side faces of the enlargements of the radiating arms, such as 19, 19, of one. of the arms engages with the corresponding side faces, such as 20, 21, of the enlargements of adjacent arms, ventilating openin such as 22, 22, will be formed in the 'cus ion. The cushion crown or lining shown in Figure 3, and as arranged with the adjacent side faces of the enlargements of the radiating arms, in contact or engagement with each other, is then stitched or otherwise secured to the remainder of the head guard, as indicated at 23. Ventilating apertures 24 are arranged in the relatively stiff leather crown 10, which ventilating apertures extend through the fibre material or stiffener 14 and the crown shaped felt 15. The apertures 24 are placed in alignment and re 'ster with the ventilating openings 22, 22, ormed as a result of the positioning of the radial arms 17, 17, with their enlargements 18, 18. The apertures 24; and the openings 22 form a means for ventilating the interior of the head guard, and, due to the resiliency of the inner lining or cushion 16, air will be readily drawn in and exhausted from the interior of the head guard upon the compression and the expan:

sion of the cushion 16. The sponge rubber cushion or lining 16 issecured at its center in a suitable manner, .as by stitching, as indicated at 25.

The transversely arranged reinforcing crossstrips 11 and 12, as before stated, ex tend downwardly beyond the crown of the head guard a smtable distance, and provide a means whereby the combined head band and ear pieces may be secured to the crown 10. Thehead band designated 26 is lined with a soft and comfortable material, such as felt, and is formed with the forehead band 27 and the rear section 28, and also the depending cup-ped ear pieces 29 and 30, so as to protect the front, rear and sides of the players head, and also his forehead, ears and portions of his checks. The forehead band 27 besides being cushioned, is designed to yield so as to compensate for heads of various sizes, and therefore is connected to the head band 26 by means of the resilient elastic bands 31 secured in the forehead band 27. The cupped ear (pieces or extensions 29 and 30 are aperture as indicated at 32, and also at the plurality of apertures 33, 33, so that the hearin of the player will not be interfered with. elastic strap 34; extends from the ends of the ear ieces 29 and 30, and this strap is designed to encircle the chin and hold the head guard on the head of the player against accidental removal.

From an inspection of Figures 1 and 2 it may be readil seen that the cushion or lining illustrate in Fi re 3 is formed so that it may be inserted mtothe interior of the head or crown ortion of the head guard and fit snugl t erein, and formin a soft and comforta le. cushion covering a l rou h places on the interior of'the crown of t e head guard.

From the foregoing description it is manifest that the use in a head guard of a cushioning material of the character described, that is, sponge rubber, will have a cushioning effect and action similar to that of a pneumatic cushion; that the material is impervious to moisture resulting from erspi- 'ration from the wearer, and that it will conform to the shape of the head of the wearer and will not, at any time, cause undue ressure to be exerted, so as to interfere wit the comfort of the wearer or player. Furthermore, it is evident that the sponge rubber cushion will not become matted, and therefore lose its resiliency, as would be the case if some material, suc as felt or similar ma terial were employed for the cushion. It is also manifest that the cushion may be readilystamped from a sheet of material into the desired configuration, so as to permit the cushion to be inserted into the interior of the crownof the head guard, and fit the crown of the head of the player. It will .also be apparent that the cushion or lining mag be produced at relatively low cost. aving thus described the invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A fiat pad or sponge rubber for use in a head guard, which pad is formed with a central cushion ortion, a pluralit of separated arms ra iating from said central cushion portion, the outer ends of said radiating arms being enlarged, said enlarged, outer ends of said radiating arms being ada ted to be arranged adjacent each other to orm a crown and an annular band at the base of the crown, and thereby forming a plurality of relatively large apertures in said pad between said central cushion pora tion and said enlarged outer ends, said apertures so formed being wide at their outer ends and narrowing to their inner ends and being adapted for ventilating purposes when .used adjacent ventilating apertures in the crown of said head guard.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 23rd day of A ril A, D. 1925.

ARCHIBALD TURNER. 

